Sewing-machine.



R. G. WOODWARD.

SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, I908.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915;

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SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5. 190a.

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SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1908.

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SEWING MACHINE.

- APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1908- 1 13mm Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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RUSSEL G. WOODWARID, OF WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

' SEWING-MACHINE.

LISSEAQO.

epeoification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 113, Matt.

To all whom it may concern lie it known that I, RUssEL Gr. Woon WARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waukegan, in the county of Lake, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a descrip tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

I My invention relates to machines for covering the edges of fabrics, and more especially to machines for covering the edges of carpets, or other heavy materials, although it will be obvious from certain aspects, that the invention may be used for various purposes, such as the edging of awnings, or the like.

An object of the invention is to cover the edge of a fabric with a tape, which is over stitched on to the fabric. *By this securing means, I am 'able to make a much more durable and efi'icient edge protection with less thread than is usually consumed in forming an edge protection with threads alone. a

A further object of the invention is to provide an over edge machine with means for guiding a tape, so that said tape will be placed beneath the over edge stitches and secured to the fabric.

A still further object of my invention is l to provide an over edge machine with means for guiding a tape, which is so arran ed and constructed that the loops of thread orming the stitch serve to turn down the edges of the tape on to the fabric, as the tape is secured to the fabric.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an overedging machine; with means for guiding a tape thereto, whereby said tape is encircled by the over edgestitches and secured to the fabric, and with means for placing the tape as it is led to.

the stitching mechanism, under tension.

Still further objects will in part be obvious, and in part be hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings which show'by way of illustration one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a front view of the sewing machine embodying my improvement; Fig

'12 is a plan view of the work support... also showing the needle bar and presser bar in section; Fig. 3 is a plan View of the work 5 support, showing the tension device for the tape thrown back when stitching curved edges; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the presser foot, showing the tape guide carried there- "by; Fig. 5 is a. detail view, showing the similar view showing the manner of folding the lower edge of the tape against the under face of the material; and Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing a modified form of tape guide.

The sewing machine hereinillustrated, is provided with a bed plate 1, from which rises the overhanging arm 2, in the forward end of which reciprocates a needle bar 3, carrying a needle t. Said needle bar is reciprocated by a needle lever 5, which is vibrated by a link 6 from the main shaft 7, in the usual manner. Codperating with the needle 4 is a looper 8, which is mounted in suitable bearings beneath the Work support, and is vibrated by a link 9 connected with an extension of the needle lever 5 in,

thread beyond the edge of the material, as

shown in Fig. 6. A spreader 10, which is herein shown as of the fish-tail type, is also mounted beneath the work support, and 0peratedin the usual manner from the main shaft. Said spreader moves up and engages the looper thread extending from the previous interlocking of the threads to the eye of the looper, and carries the same over the edge of the work support into position for the needle to pass' between the body of the spreader and the looper thread.

This stitch-forming mechanism and its operating partsare of the usual construction, and will not need further disclosure in this connection.

It may be noted that instead of using the particular stitch-forming mechanism herein illustrated, any other form of overedge stitching mechanism may be used, although I have found that from certain aspects of the invention, the stitch-forming mechanism performing the purpose of this invention.

The Presser bar 11 is provided with a no presser foot 12. Said bar 11 is mounted in the usual manner in the overhanging arm, and the presser foot operates to hold the material upon the work support 13, so that the same may be fed forward by the usual feed dog 14, shown in Fig. 1. The presser foot 12 is provided with an adjustable arm 15, which is preferably set in a recess in theupper face of the presser. foot, and held therein by means of a set screw 16, which passes through a slot 17 in said arm. Said arm 15 is bent downward, providing adownwardly projecting portion 18, which extends slightly below the plane of the work support when the presser foot is in normal position on the material. Said arm 15 is provided with a forwardly tapering finger 19, over which the stitches are formed in the usual manner in this type of machines. The member 18 of the arm 15 is also provided with a slot 20, which, as shown in Fig. 4 is arranged substantially vertically. This slot serves as a means for guiding a tape, which is secured to the fabric being stitched by means of the overedge stitching.

The presser foot herein shown and described as having a tape guide, is not claimed herein, per 86, as the same forms the subject matter of my co-pending application, Serial No. 430,898, filed of even date herewith.

The work support 13 is provided with a rib 21, which is located at the extreme edge of the work support, and which serves as a means for bending upward the loose threads of the fabric, so that they may be completely covered by thetape and the stitching threads. The worle support ,13. is provided with a pivoted extension 22, which carries an edge guide 23, and also a tension device for the tape T. The extension is connected to the work support by the pivot bolt 1& shown in full lines in Fig. 1. and in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. The tape is led from the supply through a suitable guide 24, carried 1 by the standard of the machine, and thence through a guide eye 25, along the face of a flange 26, carried by the bracket 27, which I is secured to the extension 22 by suitable screws.

The forward end of the flange 26 is curved at 28, so that the tape may run freely along the flange and around the curved end thereof into the guiding slot 20 in the arm carried by thelpresser foot. A pressing plate or shoe 29 is carried by a rod 30, mounted in lugs 31, carried by the bracket 27. A spring 32 engages a collar 33 at one end on said rod, and at its other end engages the lug 31'. Thespring 32 normally tends to force the pressing plate or shoe 29 against the flange 26, and will thus engage the tape running I along the face of the flange and place a tension thereon. A suitable hand piece 34 is attached to the collar 33, and serves as a means for moving the shoe away from the flange 26, when it is desired to insert the tape.

The operation of my device will be obvious from the above description. The tape T is gradually carried forward by the feed of the machine, and the stitching mechanism operates to secure the same to the edge of the material. The stitching mechanism is preferably so located that the needle -1- will pass through the material inside of the edges of the tape, so that the tape will be completely surrounded by the threads of the overedge stitch.

It is obvious, however, that from certain aspects of my invention, the tape may be sufiiciently wide so as to be penetrated by the needle. As the tape leaves the guiding slot 20, it is held in a vertical position. As the spreader 10 carries the looper thread over the edge of the fabric, in position for the needle to enter the same, as shown in Fig. 6, the upper edge of the tape will be folded down by the looper thread on to the upper face of the fabric, and as the stitch is drawn tight, it will be readily seen that the tape will be drawn down firmly against the upper face of the fabric. As the looper retracts, as shown in Fig. 7, the looper thread which is now held by the needle, is carried against the lower edge of the tape, which will be bent around against the under face of the fabric, and again as the stitch is drawmtight, the lower edge of the tape will be firmly secured to the fabric. It will thus be seen that the threads of th stitching mechanism in reality perform the "functions of a binder; that is to say, said threads .fold the edges of the tape around the edge of the fabric. The rib 21 on the work support 13 will operate to turn up the loose ends of threads in the fabric, so that they will be properly bound in by the tape and the overedge stitches.

The fabric being stitched is led along the edge guide 23, which guides the same properly to the stitching mechanism. When it is desiredto stitch a sharply curved edge, suchasthe scallops of an awning, the extension 22 of the work support is turned away, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to move the tension device for the tape away from the stitching oint, and thus givethe operator a free s ace 1n which to turn the fabric being stitc ied,

so as to properly present the same to the stitching mechanlsmnfor stitching the sharp curves.

In Fig. 8 of the drawing, 1 have shown a modified form of tape guide. The tape guide 35 in this figure, is formed on the arc of a circle, and as the tape is led therethrough, it will have its edges folded, so as to assist the threads of the stitching mechanism in properly turning down and securing the tape to the edge of the fabric. The tenniaaaao sion device S serves as a means for regulating the tension on the needle thread, while the tension device S serves as a means for regulating-the tension on the looper thread.

lit will readily be seen that where the overedge stitches surround the tape, a change in the degree of tension on the needle and looper threads, will regulate the degree of nation, a work support, stitch forming mechanism for formlng overedge stitches, a stitch finger over which the stitches are laid, a tape guide located in front of the stitch finger, the longitudinal axis of said stitch gerbeing positioned in a horizontal plane passing between the ends of the tape guide, whereby said tape may be guided between the stitch finger and the edge of the fabric,

and said tape folded around the edge of the fabric and secured by the overedge stitches.

2. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, stitch forming mechanism for forming overedge stitches, a presser foot, a stitch finger, a tape guide carried by the presser foot, said tape guide being located in front of the stitch finger, and the longitudinal axis of said; stitch finger being positioned in a horizontal plane passing between the ends of the tape guide, whereby the tape may be guided between the stitch finger and the edge of the fabric, and the tape secured to the fabric by the overedge stitches.

3. A sewing machine including in combi-' nation, a work support, stitch forming mechanism for forming overedge stitches, a tape guide located in front of the stitch forming mechanism, said tape guide being positioned relative to the work support so that the ends of the tape guide extend above and below the plane of-the work support, whereby the tape may be guided between the overedge stitches as they are formed and the edge of the fabric, and whereby the threads'of the overedge stitches are caused to fold the edges of the tape on to the upper and lower faces of the fabric, and secure the same thereto.

A. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, stitch forming mechanism for forming overedge stitches, a stitch finger over which the stitches are laid, a tape guide located in front of the stitch finger, said tape guide being disposed relative to the stitch finger and the work support so that the ends of thetape guide extend above and below the plane of the Work support,

whereby a tape may be guided between the v hugs the fabric, varied.

overedge stitches and the edge of the fabric as the stitches are formed, -and whereby the overedge stitches are caused to fold the edges of the tape on to the upper and lower faces of the fabric, and secure the same thereto.

5. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, stitch-forming mechanism for forming overedge stitches, a presser foot, a stitch finger carried by said presser foot, and a tape guide carried by said presser foot and located in front of said stitch finger, said tape guide extending above and below the under face of the presser foot, whereby the tape may be folded around the edge of the fabric and covered with the stitches extending around the edge of said fabric.

6. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, stitch-forming mechanism for forming overedge stitches, a presser foot, an arm adjustably secured to said presser foot, a stitch finger carried by said arm and a tape guide carried by said arm and located in front of said stitch finger.

7. A sewin machine including in combination, a W012i support, a rib carried thereby for turning up the free ends of the threads of. the fabric, a stitch finger in line with said rib, a presser foot, stitch forming mechanism for forming overedge stitches, and means for guiding a tape between the overedge stitches and the fabric with the edges of said tape above and below respectively the surface of the work support whereby the over-edge stitches are caused to fold the edges of the tape on to the upper and lower faces of the fabric.

8. A sewing machine including in combination a work support, a rib carried thereby for turning up the free ends of the threads ofthe fabric, a presser foot, stitch forming mechanism for forming over-edge stitches, a stitch finger in line with said rib, and a tape guide for guiding the tape between the overedge stitches and the fabric, said tape guide having the ends thereof located respectively above and below the surface of the work support whereby the over-edge stitches are causedto fold the edges of the tape on to the upper and lower faces of the fabric.

9. A sewing machine including in com bination, a work support, stitch forming mechanism for forming overedge stitches, a tape guide for guiding a tape between the overedge stitches and the edge of the fabric, said tape guide being so positioned relative ltd to thework support that the ends of the tape guide extend beyond and below the plane of the work support whereby said tape is folded around the fabric by the overedge stitches, said stitch forming mechanism including tension devices, and means whereby the tension on the threads may be varied and the degree of closeness with which the tape 10. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, stitch forming mechanism for forming overedge stitches, a stitch finger, a tape guide located in front of the stitch finger, .the longitudinal axis of said stitch finger being positioned in a line between the ends of the tape guide, whereby the tape may be guided between the stitch finger and the edge of the fabric, and means for placing a tension on said tape.

11. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, stitch-forming mechanism for forming overedge stitches, a presser foot, a stitch finger carried by the presser foot, a tape guide carried by the presser foot and located in front of the stitch finger for guiding a tape underneath the overedge stitches and around the edge of the fabric, and means for causing a tension upon the tape.

12. A sewing machine including in combination, a Work support, stitch-forming mechanism for forming overedge stitches, means for guiding a tape to the stitch-forming mechanism, located adjacent the stitching point, and means for guiding and placing a tension on the tape as it'passes to the tape guide, Said last named'means being secured to an arm pivoted to the Work support, whereby the position thereof relative to the stitching point may be Varied.

13. A sewing machine including in combination, a work support, stitch-forming mechanism, a feed dog, a presser foot coopera-ting therewith, means for guiding a tape to the stitch-forming mechanism including a guiding flange located substantially at right angles to the line of feed, a presser plate, a rod supporting said presser plate, a spring surrounding said rod, and forcing said presser plate against said guiding flange, a hand piece for operating said presser plate and an arm pivotally connected to'the work support for supporting said flange and presser plate.

14:. A sewing machine including in combination, a Work support, overedge stitchforming mechanism including a needle, a stitch finger located at one side of the needle, over which the stitches are formed, a tapeguiding slot arranged in advance of the stitching point 'and in advance of the stitch finger for guiding a tape around the edge of the fabric and underneath the overedge stitches as they are formed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

RUSSEL G. WOODWARD.

Witnesses:

C. MCNEIL, WARD E. WRIGHT. 

